1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to implantable leads, and in particular to proximal end portions for such implantable leads.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Body implantable electrical leads form the electrical connection between an implantable medical device (IMD), such as cardiac pacemaker, cardiac defibrillator or cardioverter, and body tissue, such as the heart, which is to be electrically stimulated. As is well known, the leads connecting the IMD with the tissue may be used for pacing/defibrillation and for sensing electrical signals produced by the tissue.
The implantable leads of today are complex arrangements, generally including multiple different lead elements of different materials and therefore having different characteristics. In particular, connector arrangements or proximal end portions of implantable leads are complex arrangements, generally consisting of a multitude of different lead elements that have to be interconnected to form the final connector. This assembling process is complex and time-consuming having multiple separate sub-assembly steps.